Three Colors: Red

Three Colors: Red (Trois couleurs: Rouge) is a 1994 film co-written, produced, and directed by Polish filmmaker Krzysztof Kieślowski. It is the final film of the Three Colors trilogy, which examines the French Revolutionary ideals; it is preceded by Blue and White. Kieślowski had announced that this would be his final film, which proved true with the director's sudden death in 1996. Red is about fraternity, which it examines by showing characters whose lives gradually become closely interconnected, with bonds forming between two characters who appear to have little in common.

Dialogue

 * The Judge: I want nothing.
 * Valentine: Then stop breathing.
 * The Judge: Good idea.


 * Valentine: Do your dreams come true?
 * The Judge: It's been years since I dreamt something nice.

Cast

 * Irène Jacob - Valentine Dussault
 * Jean-Louis Trintignant - Joseph Kern
 * Jean-Pierre Lorit - Auguste Bruner
 * Frederique Feder - Karin
 * Samuel Le Bihan - Le photographe (Photographer)
 * Marion Stalens - Le vétérinaire (Veterinary surgeon)
 * Teco Celio - Le barman (barman)
 * Bernard Escalon - Le disquaire (Record dealer)
 * Jean Schlegel - Le voisin (Neighbour)

Quotes about Red

 * While Kieślowski dips into various interconnecting lives, the central drama is the electrifying encounter between Valentine — caring, troubled — and the judge, whose tendency to play God fails to match, initially, the girl's compassion. It's a film about destiny and chance, solitude and communication, cynicism and faith, doubt and desire; about lives affected by forces beyond rationalization. The assured direction avoids woolly mysticism by using material resources — actors, color, movement, composition, sound — to illuminate abstract concepts. Stunningly beautiful, powerfully scored and immaculately performed, the film is virtually flawless, and one of the very greatest cinematic achievements of the last few decades. A masterpiece.
 * Geoff Andrew in review at Time Out